Sanitary component, namely a stream regulator or stream former for flowing fluid media, method of producing such a sanitary component, and use of such a sanitary component

ABSTRACT

A sanitary component, namely a stream regulator or stream former for flowing fluid media, including of property-defining constructional elements which are arranged in a sandwich-like manner in the direction of flow and have at least one wire-mesh screen attachment, a diffuser plate system and a shell body with stream-forming segments extending over the cross-sectional area thereof and provided with openings. The property-defining constructional elements are exchangeable and combinable. A locking means is arranged on the inner circumference of the shell body, and a corresponding counter-locking means is arranged on the outer circumference of the diffuser plate system. The diffuser plate system is provided with an optical coding specifying the flow rate class and the shell body with an optical coding defining the flow type. Moreover, the wire-mesh screen attachment is inserted in a surrounding internal recess of the circular diffuser plate system, wherein, if a flow regulator is provided between the wire-mesh screen attachment and the diffuser plate system, the wire-mesh screen attachment is formed to be translucent or transparent and the flow regulator has another optical coding. If there is no flow regulator, an optical coding of the wire-mesh screen attachment is formed to match with that of the diffuser plate system or is provided in a predefined combination.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.12/507,636, filed Jul. 22, 2009, which is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 11/242,106, filed Jun. 22, 2005 (now abandoned),which was a national stage of PCT International Application No.PCT/EP2006/006756, filed Jun. 22, 2005, and claims priority of GermanPatent Document No. 10 2005 022 841.0, filed May 18, 2005, thedisclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a sanitary component, namely a stream regulatoror a stream former for flowing fluid media, consisting ofproperty-defining constructional elements which are arranged in asandwich-like manner in the direction of flow, to a method of producingsuch a sanitary component and to the use of sanitary components, namelystream regulators or stream formers.

2. Discussion of the Background

Stream regulators or stream formers offered by the company Neoperl GmbHunder the brand names “Neoperl®” or “Perlator©” have been prior art formany years.

Due to different standards, e.g. the European standard EN 246 or theU.S. standard ASME A112.18.1M, a plurality of different products withdifferent flow rates or with a different flow rate restriction thereforehas to be available. Moreover, stream patterns with air added to form aso-called pearling stream are desired on the one hand, but also laminar,transparent flows of fluid media on the other hand, while the emissionof noise caused when the stream flows out is to he influenced. Theaforementioned requirements once again increase the number of differentproducts, which actually serve one and the same purpose.

The most essential constructional elements of stream regulators orstream formers for flowing fluid media comprise means arranged in asandwich-like manner in the direction of flow, namely usually a circularwire-mesh screen attachment, a circular diffuser plate system and asubstantially cylindrical shell body with stream-forming segments thatcomprise openings, extend over the cross-sectional area of the shellbody and may be constructed to form one integral part with the shelland/or as insertion plates.

The wire-mesh screen attachments or wire-mesh filter screens, which arepreconnected to the stream regulators, flow regulators, flow restrictorsand/or backflow preventers in the direction of flow, protect thesanitary interchangeable parts against the dirt particles carried alongin the water. The wire-mesh screen attachments are usually connected tothe further structural components and are inserted, as one functionalunit, in an outlet housing which can be attached to the water outlet ofa sanitary outflow faucet, e.g. by screwing, or is directly placed intothe faucet. Typically, wire-mesh filter screens are made of anontransparent synthetic material so that interchangeable parts on theoutflow side cannot be seen. Thus, the user is unable to see whatadditional stream-forming or flow rate restricting means are providedinside the stream regulator.

Since, as was mentioned above, the spectrum of variants of the streamregulators or stream formers applies to different flow rate classes,whereby, for example, only 6 l/min at 3 bar are required for operating afaucet of a lavatory basin, while 30 Umin at 3 bar are recommended forfilling a tub, and since, as was also mentioned above, there aredifferent technologies for producing the flow rate classes and for theforming of a stream with a laminar, transparent or aerated stream, theuser of stream regulators available on the market, especially in a shopselling spare parts, is frequently not in a position to recognize as towhich stream regulators have to be mounted in the existing faucet so asto achieve a trouble-free operation thereof in accordance with thenecessary comfort and safety requirements.

Moreover, since the number of function-defining constructional elementsshould be kept as small as possible with respect to a large variety offinal products for production-technological and cost-reducing reasons,and last but not least for minimizing the stock keeping, it has alreadybeen attempted to provide the necessary product range as a whole bycombining few constructional elements or structural components. However,it also has to be ensured during a production process that—by takinginto account the quality assurance—in fact only those constructionalelements are used which guarantee in their entirety the desiredparameters of the stream regulator eventually used by the customer.

With respect to the prior art, another problem occurring with theidentification of suited stream regulators is due to the fact that it isimpossible, conditional on the usually standardized outlets of sanitarytapware, to take type-relevant or use-specific steps, e.g. by aparticular exterior design. This is moreover aggravated by the fact thatthe stream regulators are frequently placed on the market as so-calledOEM products, wherein on both the stream regulator itself and usuallyalso on the metallic outer housing, in the interior of which the streamregulator is located and which is connected to the outflow faucet, onlydata of the manufacturer of the tapware, but not with respect to thespecific properties of the stream regulator can be found. In otherwords, the danger of confusions in the prior art is relatively great,especially if the products are offered without an outer housing when aspare part is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on the above it is therefore an object of the invention to providea further developed sanitary component, namely a stream regulator or astream former for flowing fluid media, which can clearly be identifiedby various constructive and technological measures in both theproduction process and the subsequent use, and wherein it is to bepossible to carry out the production of such components in an effective,cost-efficient and simple manner, without jeopardizing the qualityrequirements with respect to the final product.

Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide a method ofproducing such sanitary components, namely stream regulators or streamformers, which is conducive to an automated assembly of streamregulators or stream formers.

Last but not least, the use of sanitary components, namely streamregulators or stream formers, is to be allowed in such a way that theuse of unsuited components. e.g. a flow rate class for filling a tubused for the operation of a faucet of a lavatory basin, is almostcertainly precluded. The same refers to the use of unsuited componentsat the OEM customer, which should be avoided.

The solution to the object according to the invention is achieved with asanitary component according to the features of claim 1, a method ofproducing such a sanitary component according to the definition of claim20 and with a specific use of sanitary components according to theteaching of claim 22, with the dependent claims defining at least usefulembodiments and advancements.

The sanitary component according to the invention, namely in the form ofa stream regulator or stream former for flowing fluid media, consists ofor includes property-defining constructional elements arranged in asandwich-like manner in the direction of flow or located in a stacksystem.

These constructional elements comprise at least one preferably circularwire-mesh screen attachment or filter screen, a preferably circular orcircular cylindrical diffuser plate system and a preferably cylindricalshell body with stream-rectifying or stream-forming segments thatcomprise openings and extend over the cross-sectional area of the shellbody.

For achieving an adaptability to most different user and applicationrequirements the property-defining constructional elements areexchangeable and combinable. To this end. locking means are arranged,for example, on the inner circumference of the shell body andcorresponding counter-locking means are arranged, for example, on theouter circumference of the circular diffuser plate system. These meansare preferably formed to be integral, i.e. one piece, with thecorresponding constructional element.

The preferably circular or circular cylindrical diffuser plate systemcomprises, at least on its outside, a coding specifying the flow rateclasses, and the shell body comprises a coding defining the flow type orthe stream pattern respectively. The flow type or stream pattern ispreferably laminar with a transparent stream or effervescent, namelyenriched with air. The flow type or the stream pattern respectively issymbolized by a specifying optical coding.

According to another embodiment of the stream regulator according to theinvention the shell body comprises in its outlet area a pivotable insertor a pivotable flow rectifier with stream-forming means provided on thesame.

With the circular embodiment of the diffuser plate system and the shellbody, the inside of the shell body has the shape of a calotte shell, andthe pivotable flow rectifier likewise has a calotte shell shapecomplementary thereto. Due to the pivotable rectifier the outflow streammay be tilted or turned under a certain angle starting from thelongitudinal axis of the stream regulator. The movement of the rectifierin correspondence with the desired pivoting movement can be realizedwithout any auxiliary device, i.e. by slightly pressing a linger ontothe lower side of the plate.

The kind of realization of a stream regulator with and without apivotable stream as result of a movable flow rectifier may be symbolizedby another optical coding. According to a modified embodiment of astream regulator according to the invention a coating having a definedminimum thickness or minimum strength from an elastomeric material, e.g.silicone, is provided on the outer surface of the flow rectifier, whichmay also be formed integrally with the shell body. This coating therebyfollows the contour or the structure of the rectifier in the directionof flow. Especially limy sediments sticking to the elastomeric coatingduring the service life and the action time of the stream regulator maybe removed by moving the coating in terms of slightly rubbing it.

The kind of coating on the outside of the flow rectifier moreover allowsanother haptic, i.e. touchable coding in accordance with the problemdefinition of the invention.

Finally, stream regulators are known which are not accommodated by ametallic outer shell, but which are directly screwed into the, e.g.tubular end of an outflow faucet. Such hidden stream regulators comprisea shell body with a male thread and a sealing ring usually positioned ina surrounding groove. This sealing ring may have an optical, i.e.colored coding being in contrast with the color code of the shell body.This coding then symbolizes, for example, the kind of male thread, thethread pitch or the like.

In one embodiment the wire-mesh screen attachment is inserted in asurrounding inner recess of the circular diffuser plate system,preferably by means of a locking connection or snap-in connection,wherein, if a flow regulator is disposed between the wire-mesh screenattachment and the diffuser plate system, the wire-mesh screenattachment is designed to be translucent or transparent and the flowregulator has another optical coding.

If there is no flow regulator, an optical coding of the wire-mesh screenattachment matching with that of the diffuser plate system or in apredefined combination is provided.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the teaching of theinvention the optical codings are adapted to be different color codings.

The color shades or color differences of the respective endings comprisecolor temperatures detectable by means of opto-electronic imagedetection and evaluation. Also, it is within the meaning of theinvention that the color shades may easily be perceived by the humaneye.

The color codes for the wire-mesh screen attachment comprise 21 colors,namely dark green, burgundy, light green, light blue, yellow, dark blue,dark grey, light grey, grey, orange, blue, ivory, green, brown, olive,red, beige, black, pink, lilac and white.

The color codes for the flow regulator comprise ten colors, namelypreferably light green, dark grey, green, lilac, dark blue, pink,orange, black, yellow and white.

The color codes for the diffuser plate system comprise at least 11colors, namely dark green, burgundy, light green, light blue, yellow,dark blue, dark grey, light grey, grey, orange and neutral. The colortone neutral is a color that results from the, preferably, syntheticmaterial as used and the material properties thereof, without anyaddition of colors. With the preferably used material POM this colortone is opaque to milky white.

The diffuser plate system is typically inserted in the shell body, butmay also be, for example, a constructional element with an annular outercontour that differs from the color of the shell body. A neutral colorof the diffuser plate system then symbolizes a model without noisereduction and a colored variant one with noise reduction.

The color code for the shell body comprises at least two colors, with afirst color being assigned to a shell body with air supply slotsprovided therein and with a second color being assigned to a shell bodywithout air supply slots.

Preferably, the first color is dark grey while the second color ispreferably light grey, whereby the shell body is made of a coloredsynthetic material in a dye-penetrated manner.

A complementary color code for the shell body or the base of the shellbody, namely with a colored marking clearly deviating from theaforementioned two colors, relates to an embodiment wherein the flowrectifier is configured to be a pivotable interchangeable part of theshell body. The color white, for example, symbolizes a pivotableembodiment, while the colors dark grey or light grey respectivelysymbolize a rigid embodiment.

The flow regulator used in the respective sanitary component comprises acontrol gap the flow cross-section of which can be altered by means of aring elastically deformable under the pressure of the flowing fluidmedium.

The transparency of the wire-mesh screen attachment is selected suchthat, on the one hand, the position of the deformable ring is andremains identifiable while, on the other hand, the entire flow regulatorincluding its coding can be seen.

In one embodiment of the invention the elastic ring may also be providedwith an optically identifiable coding, especially with a color coding,which is in contrast with the control gap or the surroundings thereof.

With respect to its shape, the wire-mesh screen attachment has a convexor conical shape on the inflow side.

The wire-mesh screen attachment preferably comprises polygonal screenopenings and has an annular collar interlocking with the internal recessof the circular diffuser plate system. Moreover, a simple, easilycomprehensible reference to the preferred individual purpose of use mayhe provided over the basic tint of the mesh-wire screen attachment, e.g.“water economy”, “maximum flow” or “normal consumption”.

As was explained, a choice of the diffuser plate system and the shellbody and, if required, of flow regulators may be made by taking intoaccount the user-specific requirements, wherein these constructionalelements can be mounted easily with the exemplary locking means orsnap-in connections. Although only a small number of individualconstructional elements is recognizable in the assembled state it ispossible, due to the proposed kind of optical coding, to find outvisually, i.e. without any aid, solely by an easy to see conformity witha pattern or a colored representation, as to whether the product on handsatisfies the expected requirements and, respectively, is suited for theintended case of uUse.

With respect to the method of producing a sanitary component, namely astream regulator or a stream former for flowing fluid media, again, theproperty-defining constructional elements arranged in a sandwich-likemanner in the direction of flow are assumed, which comprise at leastone, for example, circular wire-mesh screen attachment, one, forexample, circular diffuser plate system and a, for example, cylindricalshell body with stream-forming, stream-rectifying segments that compriseopenings and extend over the cross-sectional area of the shell body.

For achieving an adaptability to most different user and applicationrequirements the property-defining constructional elements areexchangeable and combinable. To this end, specific locking means orlocking connections are preferably used, which are integrally formed onor placed in the corresponding constructional elements.

The, for example, circular diffuser plate system comprises, at least onits outside, an optical coding specifying the flow rate class, and theshell body comprises an optical coding defining the flow type, namelylaminar or aerated.

The wire-mesh screen attachment may be placed into the diffuser platesystem, preferably by means of the aforementioned locking connection,wherein, if a flow regulator is provided between the wire-mesh screenattachment and the diffuser plate system, the wire-mesh screenattachment is formed to be translucent or transparent.

The flow regulator likewise comprises a specifying optical coding. Ifthere is no flow regulator, the optical coding of the wire-mesh screenattachment matches with that of the diffuser plate system or is providedin a predefined combination, especially a combination of colors.

On the basis of customer-specific requirements about the desired flowrate class and the respective stream pattern and/or flow rate, thecoding of those property-defining constructional elements correspondingto said customer-specific requirements or largely approximating the sameis, with respect to the method, inferred from a code table.

Based on this information the procurement of the constructional elementsfrom a store and the assembly of the parts is then facilitated and canalso be carried out in an automated and controlled manner. Especiallyopto-electronic picture recording and digital image processing methodsare suited for the control purposes.

The use or the application respectively of the sanitary componentsaccording to the invention, in particular as defined in patent claim 1,is accomplished by means of a code table authorized by the producer,indicating the optical coding of the constructional elementsidentifiable without disassembling them, which corresponds to or largelyapproximates the respective case of use with respect to the streampattern, flow rate restriction and/or flow rate class.

It be mentioned at this point that not only the manufacturing processcan be optimized and the quality assurance can be improved by realizingthe teaching according to the invention, but the final user is able toeasily identify the respective replacement model, last but not leastwith the consequence of a simplified order placement and an easierpurchase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, the invention will be explained in more detail by means of anembodiment and with reference to the figures and tables. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1A shows a sanitary component in the form of a stream former,comprising a shell body for producing an aerated stream;

FIG. 1B shows a partial section of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A shows a top view of a sanitary component in the form of a streamregulator comprising a transparent wire-mesh screen attachment and arecognizable regulating unit;

FIG. 2B shows a partial section of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 shows a partial section of a sanitary component comprising atwo-piece diffuser plate system;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through an embodiment of a streamregulator comprising a pivotable flow rectifier inside the shell body;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective top view of a stream regulator comprising amale thread for the hidden assembly inside an outflow faucet;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a chosen coding of the wire-mesh screenattachment and the diffuser plate system with flow rates typical for therespective color combination at corresponding pressure values;

FIG. 7 shows a summary of the color codes for the flow regulator with atransparent wire-mesh screen attachment for performing the function of aregulated flow;

FIG. 8 shows a representation of the color codes of the shell or theshell body respectively, for the function of obtaining an aerated orlaminar stream;

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example of the colors of the wire-mesh screenattachments conditional on the sales area Europe or U.S.A.,respectively, with respect to specific preferred purposes of use of thesanitary components;

FIG. 11 shows a color coding of a diffuser ring recognizable fromoutside as part of the diffuser plate system with respect to the noisebehavior of the sanitary component;

FIG. 12 shows a representation of the haptic code with respect to thefunction lime resistance; and

FIG. 13 shows the color code of the shell body or the shell base withrespect to the desired direction of the stream when using the sanitarycomponent.

According to FIGS. 2A and 2B the sanitary component comprises aflow-regulated stream regulator (FIG. 2B) including property-definingconstructional elements arranged in a sandwich-like manner in thedirection of flow. FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a sanitary component with astream regulator merely forming or rectifying the stream.

The most essential constructional elements of the sanitary componentsaccording to the invention are the shell body 1 on the lower side orsection of which flow-rectifying, stream-forming means 2 (flowrectifier) comprising openings are provided.

Over specific sections of the outer circumference the shell body 1 isprovided with slot-shaped openings 3 which serve the supply of ambientair, namely, if an aerated pearling stream pattern is to be obtained.

A circular diffuser plate system 4 is disposed in the incoming directionabove the shell body 1. This diffuser plate system 4 comprises aplurality of special stream-dividing openings with differentcross-sections or varying longitudinal sections so that the upcomingfluid is accelerated and passed to the flow rectifier 2 which follows inthe direction of the flow.

The diffuser plate system 4 is in contact with the inside of the shellbody 1, e.g. by means of a locking connection 5, and is fixedcorrespondingly.

Thus, for achieving an adaptability to different user and applicationrequirements, the property-defining constructional elements, namely thediffuser plate system 4 and the shell body 1, are exchangeable andcombinable with the stream-forming means 2. To this end, locking meansare arranged, preferably integrated, on the inner circumference of theshell body 1, while corresponding counter-locking means are arranged,preferably integrated, on the outer circumference of the circulardiffuser plate system 4.

The coding of the circular diffuser plate system 4 is provided at leaston the outside. Also, the coding on the shell body 1 is provided atleast on the outside, wherein both the circular diffuser plate system 4and the shell body 1 are preferably made of a dye-penetrated syntheticmaterial, with the color of the synthetic material corresponding to thedesired optical coding.

Preferably, a wire-mesh screen attachment 6 is inserted in the diffuserplate system 4 by means of a locking connection 5.1 or an integralconnection. For this purpose, the circular diffuser plate system 4comprises, according to an embodiment, an internal recess and thewire-mesh screen attachment 6 a partial or complete collar complementarythereto.

If a flow regulator 7 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) is inserted between thewire-mesh screen attachment 6 and the diffuser plate system 4, thewire-mesh screen attachment 6 is, according to this embodiment,transparent (see FIG. 2A), and the flow regulator 7 comprises anotheroptical coding being in contrast with the diffuser plate system 4thereof.

If there is no flow regulator 7 (FIGS. 1A and 1B), the optical coding ofthe wire-mesh screen attachment 6 is formed to match with that of thediffuser plate system 4 or is provided in a predefined combination,especially in a combination of colors according to FIG. 6.

Looking at FIGS. 6 to 8 and the embodiment of the sanitary components ofFIGS. 1B, 2B and 3, both the operative range and the productspecification or the parameters thereof respectively can he easilyderived.

The product according to FIGS. 1A and 1B accordingly is a streamregulator comprising a shell body 1 and slot-shaped openings 3,which—according to FIG. 8—is dark grey. A dark grey shell body 1 meansthat it produces an air-permeated stream.

It results from the combination of a dark blue diffuser plate system 4with a dark blue wire-mesh screen attachment 6 that the respectivestream regulator is suited for a flow rate class B (see FIG. 6).

The sanitary component according to FIGS. 2A and 2B relates to aflow-regulated stream regulator, namely because the wire-mesh screenattachment 6 thereof is transparent. The flow regulator 7, which can beseen through the transparent wire-mesh screen attachment 6, has a yellowcolor so that a flow rate of a maximum of 8.3 l/min is obtained inaccordance with its intended use and in correspondence with an upcoming,also variable pressure.

Moreover recognizable is the elastically deformable ring 10 which islocated in a control gap 11. In an unloaded case this ring 10 must notbe deformed and has to adopt a desired position with respect to the flowcross-section to be modified. The corresponding position of thedeformable ring 10 is easy to find out due to the use of the transparentwire-mesh screen attachment 6.

With reference to FIG. 2B, and by taking into account FIG. 8, the shellbody 1 shown therein likewise has a dark grey color, which means thatthe stream produced therethrough is also air-permeated.

If the shell body 1 had a light grey color, this would mean that alaminar stream is produced in accordance with the intended use of thisrespective stream regulator.

The sanitary component according to FIG. 3 with a multi-part diffuserplate system comprises a screen 12 with a flow orifice 13. This floworifice, the dimension of which that specifics the flow rate classcannot easily be identified by the user, may be symbolized by the colorof the ring member 14 and/or the color of the wire-mesh screenattachment 6. The ring member 14 may be a component part of the diffuserplate system.

The embodiment of the stream regulator shown in FIG. 4 is substantiallyan analogous basic construction as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A or 2B and2B, respectively.

The interior of the shell body 1 contains the diffuser plate system withan upper part 4.1 for the purpose of accelerating the stream and a lowerpart 4.2 for dividing the accelerated stream and slowing it down. Theflow rectifier 2 is positioned as a pivotable part 8 underneath thediffuser plate system. In order to obtain the exemplary pivotingmovement shown in FIG. 4, the shell body 1 has the shape of a calotteshell in the lower portion on the inner circumference thereof The outercircumference of the pivotable part 8 has a corresponding calotte shellshape 9 complementary thereto. Due to the possibility of pivoting part8, the stream flowing out may be moved from one side to the other abouta certain angle, resulting in essential advantages in view of the usageof a so equipped water outflow faucet.

The color coding of the pivotable part 8 as base of the shell body 1 maybe designed to deviate from the color of the shell body 1 as to allow,in this respect, a clear association in terms of the invention, e.g. thecolor according to FIG. 13.

An additional haptic coding of the outer surface of the flow rectifieror shell base respectively allows to define the resistance of thesanitary components against lime sediments in accordance with FIG. 12.Moreover, the choice of colors for the nontransparent wire-mesh screenattachments allows the user of the sanitary component to clearly inferinformation about the preferred use, e.g. the economy of water.According to FIGS. 9 and 10 the color “green” stands, for example, foran economy of water by a reduced flow rate.

It be mentioned at this point that all aforementioned optical endingsare predefined regardless of the respective diameters or dimensions ofthe sanitary components, but the optical endings rather relate tofunction- and comfort-determining properties of the stream regulatoronly.

FIG. 5 shows a sanitary component the shell body 1 of which comprises amale thread 15, so that it may directly be screwed into a complementaryfemale thread of an outflow faucet. In this case, too, the codings asexplained may be applied with respect to the flow rate classes and/orflow regulation. In addition, it is possible to define the kind and/orpitch of the male thread 15 with the color code of a required sealingring 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 shell body-   2 stream-forming means in the cross-section of the shell body 1-   3 slot-shaped air supply openings in the shell body 1-   4 diffuser plate system determining the flow rate class-   5 locking connection between shell body 1 and diffuser plate system    4-   6 wire-mesh screen attachment-   7 flow regulator-   8 pivotable flow rectifier-   9 calotte shell-   10 elastic ring-   11 control gap-   12 screen-   13 flow orifice-   14 ring member-   15 male thread-   16 seal

1. . A faucet stream regulator system, comprising: a plurality ofcombinable and exchangeable flow-altering subsystems, including at leasta first flow-altering subsystem and a second flow-altering subsystem,each of said flow-altering subsystems comprising a mesh screenattachment and a diffuser plate system; and a shell body configured andadapted to interchangeably receive said diffuser plate system of any oneof said plurality of said flow-altering subsystems in a matedconfiguration; wherein, in each of said flow-altering subsystems, saiddiffuser plate system is configured and adapted to receive said meshscreen attachment in an interlocked configuration; each of saidflow-altering subsystems is configured and adapted to receive a flowregulator intermediate said diffuser plate system and said mesh screenattachment when said diffuser plate system and said mesh screenattachment are in said interlocked configuration; and each of saidflow-altering subsystems has a first optical coding indicative ofwhether a flow regulator is present intermediate said diffuser platesystem and said mesh screen attachment, said first flow-alteringsubsystem lacking a flow regulator and having a mesh screen attachmentthat is opaque as said first optical coding, and said secondflow-altering subsystem having a flow regulator and having a mesh screenattachment that is transparent or translucent as said first opticalcoding.
 2. The faucet stream regulator system according to claim 1,wherein: said flow regulator in said second flow-altering subsystem iscolor coded; and the color code for said flow regulator comprise lightgreen, dark grey, green, lilac, dark blue, pink, orange, black, yellowand white.
 3. The faucet stream regulator system of claim 1, wherein:said plurality of interchangeable flow-altering subsystems furthercomprises a third flow-altering subsystem and a fourth flow-alteringsubsystem; said mesh screen attachment and said diffuser plate system ofsaid third flow-altering subsystem have a green color; and said meshscreen attachment and said diffuser plate system of said fourthflow-altering subsystem have a dark red color.
 4. The faucet streamregulator system of claim 3, wherein: rated pressure of said thirdflow-altering subsystem is 60 psi; predetermined flow rate of said thirdflow-altering subsystem at 60 psi is 1.5 gpm; rated pressure of saidfourth flow-altering subsystem is 60 psi; and a predetermined flow rateof said fourth flow-altering subsystem at 60 psi is 2.2 gpm.
 5. Thefaucet stream regulator system of claim 1, wherein said colored meshscreen attachment has a color selected from the group consisting of darkgreen, burgundy, light green, light blue, yellow, dark blue, dark grey,light grey, grey, orange, blue, ivory, green, brown, olive, red, beige,black, pink, lilac and white.
 6. The faucet stream regulator system ofclaim 1, wherein: said plurality of interchangeable flow-alteringsubsystems comprises a first group of flow-altering subsystems; each ofsaid first group of flow-altering subsystems comprises a mesh screenattachment that is one of transparent and translucent; and each of saidfirst group of flow-altering subsystems comprises a flow regulatorhaving a color selected from the group consisting of light green, darkgrey, green, lilac, dark blue, pink, orange, black, yellow and white.